(a) Each foreign limited partnership that is required to obtain a certificate of authority to do business in this state shall continuously maintain in this state an agent for service of process on the foreign limited partnership.

(b) An agent for service of process must be an individual resident of this state, a domestic corporation, or a foreign corporation authorized to do business in this state.

(c) A foreign limited partnership may change its registered office or its registered agent or agents, or both, by executing and filing in the office of the Secretary of State a statement setting forth:

(1) The name of the foreign limited partnership;

(2) The address of its then registered office;

(3) If the address of its registered office is to be changed, the new address of the registered office;

(4) The name or names of its then registered agent or agents;

(5) If its registered agent or agents are to be changed, the name or names of its successor registered agent or agents; and

(6) That the address of its registered office and the address of the business office of its resident agent or agents, as changed, will be identical.

(d) If the Secretary of State finds that such statement conforms to subsection (a) of this Code section, he shall file such statement in his office; and upon such filing the change of address of the registered office or the change of the registered agent or agents, or both, as the case may be, shall become effective.

(e) Any registered agent of a foreign limited partnership may resign as such agent upon filing a written notice thereof with the Secretary of State. The appointment of such agent shall terminate upon the expiration of 30 days after receipt of such notice by the Secretary of State. There shall be attached to such notice an affidavit of such agent, if an individual, or of an officer thereof, if a corporation, that at least ten days prior to the date of filing such notice a written notice of the agent's intention to resign was mailed or delivered to the president, secretary, or treasurer of the corporation for which such agent is acting. Upon such resignation becoming effective, the address of the business office of the resigned registered agent shall no longer be the address of the registered office of the limited partnership.

(f) A registered agent may change his or its business address and the address of the registered office of any foreign limited partnership of which he or it is registered agent to another place within this state by filing a statement as required in subsection (c) of this Code section, except that it need be signed only by the registered agent and need not be responsive to paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section and must recite that a copy of the statement has been mailed or delivered to a representative or agent of each such limited partnership other than the notifying registered agent.

(g) The registered agent of one or more foreign limited partnerships may resign and appoint a successor registered agent by filing a statement with the Secretary of State stating that he or it resigns and the name and address of the successor registered agent. There shall be attached to such certificate a statement executed by each affected foreign limited partnership ratifying and approving such change of registered agent. Upon such filing, the successor registered agent shall become the registered agent of such foreign limited partnerships as have ratified and approved such substitution, and the successor registered agent's address, as stated in such statement, shall become the address of each such limited partnership's registered office in this state. The Secretary of State shall furnish to the successor registered agent a certified copy of the statement of resignation.

(h) All general partners of, and the registered agent of a foreign limited partnership authorized in this state, are agents of the foreign limited partnership on whom may be served any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the foreign limited partnership.

(i) Whenever a foreign limited partnership required to procure a certificate of authority to do business in this state shall fail to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this state, or whenever its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office, the Secretary of State shall be an agent of such foreign limited partnership upon whom any process, notice, or demand may be served. Service on the Secretary of State of any such process, notice, or demand shall be made by delivering to and leaving with him or with any persons designated by the Secretary of State to receive such service a copy of such process, notice, or demand. The plaintiff or his attorney shall certify in writing to the Secretary of State that the foreign limited partnership has failed either to maintain a registered office or appoint a registered agent in this state and that he has forwarded by registered mail or statutory overnight delivery such process, service, or demand to the last registered office or agent listed on the records of the Secretary of State and that service cannot be effected at such office.

(j) The Secretary of State shall keep a record of all processes, notices, and demands served upon him under this Code section and shall record therein the time of such service and his action with reference thereto.